Steve Gunn Paints Outside the Lines

At the beginning of the video for Steve Gunn's latest single "Ancient Jules," we see the singer/guitarist straddle a motorcycle and race off on a country road, an image overlaid with the song's classic, crunchy sound. It's the quintessential picture of rock'n'roll wanderlust — appropriate, since Gunn has been blazing his own trail through expansive musical territory for more than a decade, taking in such diverse scenery as Moroccan Gnawa rhythms, Indian classical modes, the avant garde-ism of La Monte Young, the folk pastorals of Michael Chapman (who co-stars in the new video) and the indie swagger of Kurt Vile. Gunn's new album Eyes on the Lines (out June 3) is his most straightforward offering yet: a river enriched by many tributaries, and delivered by crack band The Outliners, featuring James Elkington, Nathan Bowles, and Jason Meagher. Click the player to hear the group play some of the summer-ready new tunes.